KIM COLEMAN
Winter Sun (2014)
Winter Sun was a temporary artwork commissioned by Kings Cross for Granary Square, London. An endlessly dimming and brightening social space encircled by twelve glowing 'suns' which mimicked natural light, Winter Sun incorporated various strategies designed to compensate the effects of winter darkness. Employing early generation low power-draw LED technology, some of the 'suns' approximated daylight functioning as scaled up 'daylight lamps' used to improved seasonal mental health. Others continuously simulated the peachy tones of daybreak. Others operated like moons and were illuminated by projected light captured from the suns using live feed cameras like those used for CCTV.
Inside the Winter Sun was a bar which served warm drinks and held live music events by the Neo-Medieval ensemble Princes in the Tower who played ditties referring to the coldest and darkest seasons. Tables and staff uniforms were giant camera-less photographs (cyanotypes - the earliest form of camera-less photography, first used in England) created by treating their material - wood and fabric with light- sensitive emulsion and exposing to the light and shadow cast by the structure.
An additional 'sun' was positioned outside of the structure at the highest point at Kings Cross, a high point in the city towering above St Pancras station. Constantly visible to staff and students at the adjacent CSM art school as well as to workers and other passersby, the sun's graduations from rose through to lemon white were a respite from the winder darkness.
Artist: Kim Coleman. Project managers: James Bowthorpe and Kim Coleman. Architect: LYN Atelier.
Winter Sun (2014)
Temporary public installation for Granary Square, Kings Cross. Architectural structure, live video feeds, computer controlled LED light fixtures, tables, bar, aprons. Bar and architectural structure developed and realised in collaboration with James Bowthorpe. Architects: Lyn Atelier.
Winter Sun was a social space and bar encircled by twelve ‘suns’ approximating natural light. It was installed throughout the winter months of 2014/15 at Granary Square, Kings Cross. Inspired by the social and technological means through which we seek to readdress darkness, four of the twelve suns functioned as SAD lamps; four simulated day-break, similarly to 'wake-up' lights; and four were moon-like, illuminated by light from other suns via a series of live video feeds. Within the installation was a bar serving hot drinks and hosting a events. The event space incorporated tables and staff uniforms printed on site using a camera-less photographic process. This technique allowed light from the actual winter to be harnessed, and permanently recorded a photographic image of the winter sun structure on them.